NC State Heads Into FSU With All Their Starters

For the first time this season, NC State will roll out all of their starters on both sides of the ball against Florida St. this Saturday.

The Wolfpack has played most of the first three games of the 2017 season without two of their projected starters in the secondary heading into the season.

NC State’s secondary was the biggest question mark on the team heading into the season, and the question mark has only gotten bigger, missing two of their starters over the first 3 games.

Senior Cornerback Mike Stevens has yet to play a snap, entering the season with a leg injury. Stevens played more snaps in 2016 than any other returning player on defense. His injury forced RS Senior Johnathan Alston to have to play his first collegiate snaps at the cornerback position in the season opener lined up against the uber talented Deebo Samuel of South Carolina.

RS Junior Free Safety Dexter Wright played 24 snaps in the opener against South Carolina, but has missed the rest of the action ever since with an injury. Sophomore Tim Kidd-Glass has stepped in over the past two weeks to fill his shoes.

Both Stevens and Wright are expected to play Saturday against FSU.

Also, RS Junior Will Richardson missed the first two games of the season due to suspension, but returned against Furman, to help the Wolfpack rack up 5 rushing touchdowns, and average over 6 yards per carry. Richardson is easily one of the best blockers on the Wolfpack Offensive Line, and his return to the starting line up made a noticeable difference.

When NC State plays a team like FSU, the mistakes have to be minimized, and you need as much experience and talent on the field as you can muster. For the first time in 2017 NC State will roll out all of the players they expected to start this season, and I can’t think of a more opportune time to do so.